The present invention relates to dental implants and, more particularly, to implants intended for insertion into the mandible, maxilla and facial bones. More particularly, the invention relates to a dental implant in which there is provided a collar having dual bio-affinity surfaces such that, in a healing process following insertion of the dental implant, the same is facilitated both with reference to bio-integration of bone and related dermal tissue which is next to the bone.
In the prior art, it is known to provide a variety of surface or texturing effects to enhance osseo-stability of the implant within bone, the same including the maxillofacial area, in the healing process. The collar or proximal portion of a dental implant plays a particularly significant role in that closure of the bone about the uppermost part of the implant is essential to assure proper sealing of the bone around the implant. An added aspect in the achievement of such sealing is also proper closure of the tissue, gum, or related dermal tissue above the bone at the point of entry. In general, if proper closure of the tissue about the plane of the upper radial surface of the implant is accomplished, proper closure of the cortical bone about the implant will follow as a matter of course. It is, accordingly, desirable to promote bio-integration of both soft tissue and hard tissue which is in interface with the dental implant after insertion into an osseotomy site. This, among other factors, will optimize the role of the implant as a base or foundation upon which the dental abutment and related prosthesis is secured.
While the prior art suggests a variety of different surface effects for various and sundry types of surgical implants, only a small subset of this art addresses the provision of any form of surface effect to dental implants for any purpose. This art, as best known to the within inventors, is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,494 to Von Recum; U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,208 to Sherry; U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,469 to Lia; U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,017 to Niznick; U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,891 to Branemark; U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,294 to Lundgren; U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,272 to Mears; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,475 to Vermeire.
In view of the above, no art known to the inventors, with the exception of the above-referenced parent of this application, teaches any use of multiple bio-affinity surfaces. However, said parent application does not attempt to generalize the principle of dual tissue bio-affinity surfaces as is taught herein.
The instant invention relates to a dental implant, which more particularly comprises a solid elongate body including a longitudinal axis having distal and proximal ends, in which the proximal end defines a collar having an axial length in a range of about 1 to about 3 millimeters. The collar comprises both a proximal and a distal segment in which said proximal segment exhibits a surface texture adapted for the promotion of tissue growth thereinto and in which said distal segment exhibits a surface texture adapted for the promotion of osseo-integration thereinto preferably at a cortical surface of a bone. At least one of said subsegments is provided with an ordered microgeometric repetitive surface pattern in the form or a multiplicity of alternating ridges and grooves, each having a fixed or established width in a range of about 2.0 to about 25 microns and a fixed or established depth in a range of about 2.0 to about 25 microns, in which said microgemoetric repetitive patterns define a guide for preferential promotion of the rate, orientation and direction of growth colonies of cells of maxillofacial bone or tissue which is in contact with said surface pattern.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a dental implant having a collar portion consisting of proximal and distal cylindrical sub-segments, one having a surface effect adapted for the promotion of growth of soft tissue thereinto and the other adapted for the promotion of bone or hard tissue growth thereinto preferably at a cortical surface of the bone.
It is a further object to provide microgeometic surfaces which alter the growth behavior of colonies of cells attached thereto in order to preclude the cupping effect between an implant and an osseotomy site.
It is another object to provide microgeometric surfaces of the above type having cross-sectional configurations, which are preferential to particular cell or tissue types.
It is a further object to provide microgeometric implant substrate for controlling in vivo cell attachment, orientation growth, migration and tissue function and therein having dimensions preferential for the prevention of cell growth in a first-axis and for the inducement of growth along a second axis.
It is a further object to provide repetitive microgeometric texturized configurations to implants applicable in a variety of medical applications.
It is another object to provide a dental implant of the above type to facilitate a wide range of procedures in the area of dental implantology in which preclusion of the cupping effect of bone-to-bone interface is advantageous.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a dental implant of the above type to provide improved stability while reducing the possibility of complications due to infection at the implant site.
The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and Claims appended herewith.